Accounting Degrees in New Jersey

Introduction

New York may receive more attention, but New Jersey is a major player in the worlds of business and finance, boasting the eighth-highest state GDP and 21 Fortune 500 companies, including huge names like Johnson & Johnson, Prudential Financial, and the pharmaceutical company Merck. More than 1,800 financial firms are found in the state, and all the “Big Four” international CPA firms (Deloitte & Touche, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Ernst & Young) maintain offices there. New Jersey is also home to some of the largest firms in the region, including Withum, SaxBST, Wiss & Co., and Untracht Early. More than 49,000 accountants and auditors work in the state, and they earn a competitive mean annual wage of $91,400.

New Jersey at a glance

Population

9,005,644

Per Capita Income

$37,288

Unemployment Rate

4.2%

Fortune 500 Companies

21

Licensed CPA Firms

1,830

Accounting Programs in New Jersey

Search our comprehensive school directory to explore the accounting programs in New Jersey, including campus-based, online and hybrid programs.

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Accounting Salaries and Employment

Accountants and auditors in New Jersey can expect to see an 8.4% increase in employment between 2012 and 2022, leading to over 40,000 potential positions. Although this growth rate is somewhat slower than the national averages, job opportunities are cropping up in regional firms, such as Rothstein Kass, WithumSmith+Brown, Wiss & Co. and Untracht Early.

New Jersey’s accountants can also anticipate earning a higher average wage than their counterparts in other states. Annual wages range between $43,370 and $154,130 in this sturdy economy. Top-paying cities for accountants in New Jersey include Camden, Edison-New Brunswick, Newark-Union, Trenton-Ewing and Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton.

Becoming a certified public accountant (CPA) in New Jersey

What follows is a list of the eligibility qualifications required in order to sit for the Uniform CPA Exam in the state of New Jersey to become licensed as a CPA. A few samples of the required coursework for CPA licensure are listed as well as a breakdown of exam fees and a list of schools ranked by their CPA Pass Rates from 2014.

Due to the complex and in-depth nature of the exam, many students do not receive a passing score on one or several sections of the exam and must therefore retest. The rankings below include scores from both students retesting and testing for the first time. All four sections of the exam must be passed with 18 months of the initial test date. New Jersey has a triennial license renewal policy.

Eligibility for CPA Licensure in New Jersey

Eligibility for CPA Licensure in New Jersey is contingent upon the following qualifications for CPA candidates:

CPA exam fees in New Jersey

Total:$1,057

Application Fee$225

Auditing & Attestation$208

Financial Accounting & Reporting$208

Regulation$208

Business Environment & Concepts$208

Special Fees: A registration fee applies in addition to the application fee, and varies depending on the number of sections an individual is taking. The registration fee for all four sections is $115, for three sections is $100, for two sections is $85, for one section is $70.

Certifying and Professional Organizations

The New Jersey State Board of Accountancy is a discipline of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs that promotes the reliability of information concerning financial guidance. The Board does this by regulating the qualifications and professional conduct of accountants and auditors.

Although the Board is able to verify licenses, the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) is the body that actually administers the Uniform CPA Exam for New Jersey. Future and current CPAs are able to join the New Jersey Society of CPAs, which offers aspiring CPAs preparation help for the CPA Exam, scholarships, career events, networking and provides current CPAs with career advancement tools